THE ACCIDENT


By:  Heidi

On an ordinairy Saturdayafternoon Adam, Hoss and Mitch Cartwright were in Virginia City to get some supplies. The youngest Cartwright was playing with some Chinese kids while his father and Uncle were getting the supplies. By co incidence Jason Harris came by and looked at Mitch.
“Hey Cartwright, come here if you dare”, Jason called.
Mitch came and said sturdy “Big mouth Harris? I ain’t afraid of you.”
Jason gave him a push whereby Mitch fell on the ground. Then Jason fell upon him whereafter they started to fight. They stopped until Juliet Baker came standing near them. She pulled the boys apart.
“Mitch started”, Jason said quick.
The teacher pulled the young Cartwright up and gave him such a hard push that Mitch became heavily injured. He came with with his leftankle in the middel of the street. At that moment the stagecoach left and the ankle of Mitch got totally shattered. Adam and Hoss saw how the very loved teacher pushed Mitch and they ran to her.
“Why the hell are you doing that?”, Adam asked furious.
Hoss picked her up and threw her into the water trough for the horses. Juliet screamed hard but nobody came to her rescue. In the meantime Adam took care of his son who yelled due to the pain.
“Daddy, it hurts so much”, Mitch said crying.
Because the stage had left Adam could check the injured ankle.
“I am gonna get Paul”, Hoss said.
He went straight to the practise of Doctor Paul Martin. Adam tried to calm down his son in which he succeeded. Mitch tried to sit but failed to do so.  
“The doctor will come any time and he will take care of your ankle. I stay with you”, Adam said calm.
“I cannot move it anymore”, Mitch said with tears in his eyes.
“That can be right because your ankle is totally shattered. But I am sure that your ankle will heal again. It might take a long time but you have  us to help you. Now at least you don’t have to help with doing the dishes”, Adam said.
“Then you may do it for me”, Mitch said teasing.
His father sighted and said, “I think you are quite well. To trease your old father.”
Hoss and Paul came to them.
“Paul, this lad is teasing me again. Can’t you give him something for that?”, Adam asked directly.
“Unfortuantly I don’t have a medicine for that. Mitch, this might hurt but I want  that you come to my practise so I can examine you there”, the house doctor said.
Adam and Hoss lifted the boy up carefully and carried him to the practise of the doctor.

Meanwhile Juliet had limbed out of the water trough and she was so angry with the Cartwrights that she became as red as a tomato. She walked to the office of the local authority being soaked wet.
Deputy Clem Foster stood waiting outside and got to hear, stond buiten te wachten en kreeg te horen,“Deputy, I file a complaint against Adam and Hoss Cartwright for mistreating a lady.”
“That is possible but then you first got to tell me which lady they might have mistreated”, the deputy said.
“Í am that lady. Without any reason Adam Cartwright starts to storm at me and then that unmannered creep of a Hoss Cartwright throws me into the water. I haven’t done anything at all. I happen to be the well respected schoolteacher of Virginia City. What are you gonna do about it?”, Juliet asked furious.
“Nothing because according to me they haven’t done anything bad. Good day Miss Baker”, Clem said down to earth.
“Done nothing bad? How dare you to say that to me? I will file a complaint at the sheriff for sexual harassment!”, she snapped.
When she had disappeared out of sight the replacing sheriff smiled. He wasn’t charmed of her either and had watched with pleasure how Hoss had thrown her into the water trough.

During the examination Adam held the hand of Mitch tight for support.
“I will set the ankle in plaster and write complete bed rest for him. Make sure that he does that. No matter how difficult that might be”, Paul said after the examination.
Adam answered, “That might be very difficult but I know some excuses.”
Hoss smiled because he knew exactly what his brother meant.

After a long but not boring afternoon in the town the Cartwrights went finally back home. Mitch didn’t say due to the accident and Adam neither because he was still angry at the teacher because she had made him disabled. Hoss had the reins in his hands and let the horses walk fast.

Once arrived at home Adam and Hoss brought the boy iinstantly to bed. Carefully Adam undressed Mitch. The young Cartwright moaned when Adam put the blankets over his ankle.
“Daddy, it hurts”, he said crying.
He pushed angry the blankets away. Adam and Hoss looked at each other. They knew that Mitch was in pain but still he had to lie under the blankets.
“Hoss, in the shed there are still two old strongboxes. Go and get them. Then we can put them on the bed and then the blankets on top of them. Mitch is still very small so that will be fine”, Adam said after a while.
Hoss went to the shed to getthe little strongboxes. Adam went to sit upon the bed and took his son into his arms. Mitch started to cry out loud. It was actually more of the shock than of the pain because now the boy realised what had happened. Adam just let him cry out. Suddenly Ben came into the bedroom.
“Hoss told me what Miss Baker had done to Mitch. How is he?”, the rancher asked worried.
Adam looked at him and said,“His left ankle is totally shattered. He needs complete bedrest and then he has to learn to walk again. That bitch won’t get away with it. Just to push my child under a stage and make him invalid by that.”

Juliet had to face the judge because she had made Mitch invalid.
During the lawsuit she said sobbing, “Six years ago I got raped by a cowboy and I became pregnant from him. I kept my pregnancy as long as possible hidden but that failed in the end. The delivery took so many hours that I sweard never to love a man anymore. I have pushed Mitch Cartwright under that stagecoach. I don’t even regret it.”
“And what about Jason Harris then?”, Mick Rondell asked.
“He is the only one I love. He is my baby and nobody takes him away from me”, she answered.
“How come then that your son’s last name is Harris and yours is Baker?”, Mike wanted to know then.
“Harris is my real last name. I didn’t want anyone to find out that I am single mother. That’s why I took a different last name”, Juliet answered.
“I have no further questions”, Mike said.
Hiram Wood had them.
“Miss Baker, do you realise what you have done? Pushing a little boy of four years old under a stagecoach. Mitch could have died. Why have you done it?”, Hiram asked.
“Mitch is a Cartwright  and I hate them very much. They always tells you what to do and want everything to go their way”, Juliet answered snappy.
Slowly she began to lose her patience and let that show very clearly.
“Your Honour, I have no further questions”, Hiram said.
Judge Jack Carter said, “Hereby I convict Miss Baker to the payment of $ 15.000 compensation for the medical expenses of Mitch Cartwright, $2000 smart-money for the young Cartwright and her licence for teaching will be withdrawn forgood. This case is closed.”
Ben, Hoss, Little Joe and Candy were present at the courtcase and were very satisfied with the outcome.
“Finally justice for Mitchy”, was the reaction of Hoss.
Juliet was forced to pay the money at once which she did.

Mitch lied in bed all day and began himself bored to death. Hoss noticed that when he brought the lunch inside.
“Mitchy, lunchtime. Because you are still in bed I bring it upstairs to you”, he said jolly.
“You haven’t eaten it yourself, have you?”, his nephew asked taesing while he went to sit.
“How dare you to ask such a thing? If I ever only thought of food”, Hoss reacted indignant while he put the tray in front of Mitch.
The boy began to laugh and said, “Daddy always says that when you are eating that you can think of nothing else.”
Hoss went to sit upon the bed and said,“That is true.”
Mitch began to eat and said at a certain moment, “I am so bored. The whole day I just lie around. Even Cody ran run outside.”
“I can understand that but your ankle is shattered. It can only be cured with rest”, Hoss said.
“It hurts so much”, Mitch said with tears in his eyes.
He pushed the tray aside and went to lie again. Hoss knew nothing more to say. That’s why he got up, picked up the tray and went downstairs again. Mitch fell asleep again.

After Hoss had brought the empty tray to the kitchen he could have lunch with his father and brothers.
“Mitchy is bored to death”, Hoss said while he sat down.
“He doesn’t understand that he has to lie stil. He is far too young for that”, Adam reacted.
“Adam, I think that you must keep Mitch occupied by learning him how to read and write. I am willing to give you time off for that”, Ben said.
Adam blinked with his eyes for a moment and replied, “Okay. As soon as that lad upstairs goes to school he can go straight to the university.”
“Er Adam, you don’t have to teach that much”, Little Joe remarked.
“What do you mean?”, Adam asked looking up amazed.
“You only went to university with only doing the first few years at school”, his youngest brother remarked.
Ben, Hoss, Little Joe and Candy laughed but Adam got him back by asking,“Do you know why you never went to the university?”
“No? Why not?”, Little Joe wanted to know.
“Because the university never came to you. I must now excuse myself  for I am gonna get my son ready for school. No matter how much time and trouble that might cost”, Adam said.
Hij got up and went upstairs.

Mitch woke up because he heard the footsteps of his father on the wooden stairs.
“Now it is done with the rest”, the boy said to himself and pretened he was still asleep.
“Wake up sleepy head. We are gonna study together from now on”, Adam said while he came in.
Mitch went to sit and asked, “What are you gonna teach me?”
“I am gonna teach you how to read and write. I know that you can hardly do that but I am gonna help you”, was the reply of Adam.
“Out of the fryingpan into the fire?”, Mitch asked teasing.
“What are we very funny again”, his father replied.
“Well, I think so too”, was the reaction of his son.
Adam went to sit down  and put a small table in front of Mitch. The boy got a pad and a pencil.
 “Kid, we are gonna start very easy with learing to write. What is your name?”, Adam asked.
“Mitch. You know that, don’t you?”, Mitch asked amazed.
“Of course I know that. Just write down your name”, Adam said laughing.
Mitch grabbed the pencil and wrote, M.I.T.C.H.
“Good that way?”, the boy asked while Adam checked it.
“Yes. Now you write down the name of our dog”, Adam said.
Mitch wrote: C.O.D.I.E..
“Nearly good”, Adam said.
He got the pencil and wrote down, C.O.D.Y.  
“That is the way it must be written”, Adam said.
It cost Mitch very much time and trouble but very slowly he learned to read and write.

Mitch recovered physically quite soon from his shattered ankle but mentally he has had a knock out. He lied much in bed without doing or saying anything. The cast was removed but he had no intension to learn to walk.
One morning Adam sat with him and he suggested, “Shall we try to see if you can walk a bit?”
“Why? It won’t do any good. And if it does, then I will end up under a stage again and I have the same thing all over again. Just go away”, the boy said sombre.
“You will have to try to walk once so why not now?”, Adam asked worried about the answer.
“Why? It won’t do wany good because I have heard that doc said to yoy and Grandpa that I will remain crippled for life. I can forget about my baseball career now too. Just send me to a home”, Mitch said.
Adam stroked the hair of his son and said, “I am not sending you to a home because I don’t want to miss you. Although you are crippled, I keep in loving you. If you want to reach
something in baseball, then you will have to walk.”
 “Then I must go to school and then they tease me. Just like Miss Baker”, Mitch reacted.
“Miss Baker is fired as a teacher because she had to show up in court. Get dressed and then I will help you”, Adam said.
He grabbed some clothes and gave them to his son. Mitch got dressed. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Adam questionable.  
The young Cartwright got up a bit shaky and with the support of his father he walked to the room.
“You do it better than I expected”, Adam said admiring.
Mitch went to sit and asked, “Do I get a brace around my leg?”
“Yes ofc course. That must happen as soon as possible. Shall we go to Doc?”, Adam asked.
Mitch nodded. Slowly they walked downstairs to go to town together.

Underway Adam said, “It surely will be alright with you. As soon as you can walk again you make the ranch unsafe again. I am sure of that.”
“Uncle Joe will challange me for a footrace I guess”, Mitch reacted.
“That will happen for sure. You know what he is like”, Adam said chuckling.
“Don’t wipe out Uncle Hoss. Although that is very hard to do”, Mitch reacted laughing.
His father bursted out in laughing.
He looked at the boy and said, “You are so mean. You don’t talk about your Uncle that way? I am afraid that I must give you a re-education.”
Adam stopped for a moment and gave his son a hug.
 “I love you Daddy”, Mitch said.
“I love you too”, Adam said.

In Virginia City Adam stopped the carriage in front of the practise of Paul Martin. He got out and lifted his son out of it. By co incidence Juliet Harris passed by.
She snapped at Adam, “Due to your son I lost my job and my money.”
“Then you should’t make Mitch an invalid”, was Adam’s dry comment.
Juliet nearly got driven wild. Adam and Mitch went inside where it was their turn right away.
“Paul, here is the young patient”, Adam said while he put Mitch on the examinetable.
“How are you?”, the doctor asked Mitch.
“I cannot move my ankle”, was the answer.
“That is rgiht because it is lame. You get a walk brace and you have to wear it day and night”, the dokter said.
Mitch first said nothing but a moment later he said jolly, “Then I really attrac attention and people make way for me. Especially when I come with Cody.”
Adam and Paul laughed while the house doctor showed Adam how the brace worked and put it then around the lame ankle of Mitch.

When Adam and Mitch came home Ben was busy at the barn.
“May I show grandpa how I walk now?”, Mitch asked when Adam had stopped the carriage.
“Of course. He will see it in the end anyway”, Adam answered.
He stepped out of the carriage, lifted the boy out of it and put him on the ground. Still feeling a bit awkward Mitch walked to Ben.
At the barn Mitch said proud as a peacock, “Grandpa, look what I have now.”
The rancher stopped instantly with working and went to sit.
He pulled the boy on his lap and asked, “What do you have?”
“This”, Mitch said proud as he poineted at his walkingbrace.
Ben looked at the thing and said admiring, “What a nice brace.”
Cody came there as well and got a greetingstroke from his little master.
“Uncle Hoss, Uncle Joe, Candy and Daddy probably will tease me a lot. But they are just jealous at me”, Mitch told..
“Go and play with Cody for a bit. Then I can finish the work before supper”, the rancher said.
Mitch got up and walked with the dog to the oak where they always played. Ben was working again when Adam came to help him.
“Must Mitch wear that brace forever?”, Ben asked at a certain moment.
“Yes. But when this one has become too small he gets a new one. He is only four so that will gonna cost a lot of money. But Mitch needs it so he is worth it”, Adam said.
Ben put a hand upon Adam’s shoulder and said, “I can pay it also.”
“I know that but I earn here enough to look after him. I don’t want to be depended from you”, Adam answered.
“boy,I understand that you want to be independent from me but see it as a gift from me to you”, Ben said.
His eldest son nodded and said, “I don’t want that Mitch notices that his handicapp costs a lot of money.”
The rancher said, “That won’t happen.”

Now Mitch had his walking brace he was allowed to stay out of bed. When Hoss, Little Joe and Candy came home they looked up surprised.
“Is Mitchy already out of bed?”, Hoss asked amazed.
“Yes sure. He has a walking brace around his left leg. I count on it that he gets treated normal. He goes to school when he is six and if there is a new teacher”, Adam answered.
“Of course we do that. Mitch, shall we hold a footrace together?”, Little Joe said teasing.
“If Cody may walk for me”, his nephew said.
Everybody laughed.
“Why must you always spoil my fun?”, Little Joe asked indignant.
“Sorry Uncle Joe”, Mitch said at a pathetic tone.
“Give me a hug and then everything is forgotten and forgiven”, Little Joe said.
Mitch got up, walked to his youngest Uncle and gave him a big hug. Adam looked smiling at his son and noticed that Little Joe and Mitch loved each other very much..
“Say Adam, do you feel like going out with us to town to celebrate the recovery of Mitchy?”, Hoss asked after a while.
“That is alright but then Pa must babysit Mitch of course”, Adam said sneaky.
“I don’t mind at all”, Ben said calm.
“I come along as well”, Candy said at once.
Nobody objected that.
“The more, the merrier”, Hoss said waggish.

Adam left Mitch with Ben behind because he wanted to go down to the saloons with his brothers. They were at the Lucky Nuggett when it became suddenly very cozy. It was rather quiet at the saloon. Monica Simpson came to sit with them and tried to seduce Adam. It was very well known that she had a crush on him but it wasn’t mutual. Besides, Adam was far too happy with Mitch. The boys knew that and played the game along as well.
“Tell me Adam, do you see that Mitch guy sometimes?”, Little Joe asked.
“Yes sure. We went to town together this morning. Underway he said that he loves me”, Adam said.
“And what did you say?”, Hoss asked curiously.
“I said that I love him too. We are very happy together”, was the answer of his brother.
Up till then Monica had listened silently but now she began to join the conversation.
“Adam, what do I hear now? Do you love men more than women?”, she asked amazed.
“One in particulair. He is called Mitch”, Adam answered with a wink to his brothers.
The young woman got up being insulted and said angry so that everyone could hear it , “I thought that you were a real man who would fall for a beautiful woman like me but that turns out not to be the case!”
Monica left the saloon at once. The brothers were rolling on the floor laughing. But they weren’t the only ones. Everybody who had heard the conversation couldn’t stop laughing anymore.
“She won’t be crazy about you anymore”, Little Joe said yelling it out of laughing.
“And I should mind that? Now I can spend even more time with Mitch”, Adam laughed.

Outside the saloon Monica ran into Candy. Or better said, she bumped into him.
“What is the matter Monica? Has Adam stood you up?”, he asked with laughing eyes.
“I do not want anything to do with Adam Cartwright. He just confessed in public that he loves Mitch more than he loves me While I have more to offer to Adam”, the young lady snapped. The foreman began to laugh out loud by which Monica became more angrier. She slapped Candy in the face by which he became calm at once.
“Everybody laughs at me. Who is actually that Mitch? Is he so nice and attractive that everybody loves him?”, she asked venomous.
Candy nodded and said, “If you want to know who Mitch is then you must ask Adam. He knows him better than anyone else. I find Mitch also very sweet.”
“I thought you fell for women as well but you are just a creepy guy as that Cartwright. Yak”, Monica said with a dirty look. She walked straight home. Candy came into the Lucky Nuggett and went to sit with the Cartwrights.
“Guess three times who I just ran into?”, he asked smiling.
“Monica Simpson”, Adam said at once.
“She asked me who Mitch was and why everybody thinks he’s so sweet and attractive. I said that I find that of him as well and that she had to ask you. The she made me out for a creepy guy. But Adam, she said that of you as well. So Hoss and Joe, you are in good company with us”, Candy told laughing. He looked at teasing and amorous eyes to Little Joe.
This one reacted  right away fierce with, “You know that I don’t fancy you.”
Adam and Hoss couldn’t stop laughing.
By eleven o’clock Adam asked, “I’m going home. Are you coming?”
“With you always”, Little Joe replied on amorous tone.
All the way home people could hear the laugh of the six boys.

Because everybody at the ranch acted very normal about his handicap was it for Mitch easier to accept that he was different than other children of his age.


THE END


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